Stage-lighting device.



A. W. BEUTTELL & J. A. MANNERS-SMITH. STAGE LIGHTING DEVIUE. APPLICATION FILED HALL 1913. l 1,107,65 1,- Panena Aug. 18, 1914.

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A. W. BEUTTBLL & J. A. MANNERS-SMITH. STAGE LIGHTING Dmoz.

APPLICATION FILED MARA, 1913. l 1,1 07,65 1 Patented Aug. 18, 1914.

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44.44%@ l V ilflttoznago /mw UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED WILLIAM BEUTTELL, OF LONDON, AND JOHN .ALEXANDER MANNERS-SMITH, 0F HASLEMERE, ENGLAND.

STAGE-HGHTING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented`A11g. 18; 19111.

To all lli/0m it may concern:

Be it known that we, ALFRED lfViLLIAM lnnr'rnLL, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Streatham, London, England, and JOHN ALEXANDER MANNERs- Silrru, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Coniston, Haslemere, England` have invented certain new and useful Improvements in or Relating to Stage- Ilighting Devices, of which the following is a specification,

The present invention relates to electric lighting appliances and it is especially applicable to appliances which are used for lighting the stages of theaters or for similar purposes. j

According to the present invention we employ a. line of reflectors and lamps or a plurality thereof arranged parallel to, behind and slightly elevated above leach other. Each reflector is of uniform cross section throughout its length, such cross section forming a portion of an ellipse, and a linear or straight source of light employed is located in one focal axis of the elliptical reflector.

Some device is provided to prevent the direct rays from the lamp from passing in directions in which they are not required and this may advantageously be accomplished as follows:

In conjunction with and vforming a part of the reflector we provide a semi-cylindrical portion arranged along one side of the elliptical portion so that its axis coincides with the said focal axis of said elliptical refleeting portion: within this semi-cylindrical portion the electric lamp is contained and so arranged that its filament occupies the position of the said focal axis. Such semi-circular reflector .will reflect all the light falling on its surface in such a manner that it passes to the elliptical reflector from which it is reflected through the other focal axis ofthe ellipse. IVe may locate each line of reflectors (where there is more than one line) so that the uppermost part thereof is adjacent to and immediately below the secondarvfocus of the adjacent reflector next behind and above it. with the result that we obtain an economy in the space occupied by the whole fixture or system.

Instead of using a separate sei'ni-cylindrical reflector as aforesaid, wherein the lamp `is contained, we may form one half of the lamp throughout its length as a reflector by coating the surface thereof with a reflecting material yor by any other suitable means. Y i

IVe have pointed out that all of the reflected light passes throu h the secondary focus of the elliptical re eetor.' If, therefore, it is desired to color the light from any one of the lamps or lines of lamps, we may place a narrow and elongated colored screen at or adjacent to or along the secondary focal axis, so that the whole of the light from that particular lamp or row of lamps would pass through this screen; in this construction we obviate using colored lamps; or if it be desired to otherwise act upon the light rays` instead of or in addition to coloring the light we may, for example, disperse, refract or reflect it by the interposition of any suitable dispersing, refr-acting or reflecting agent or4 members at or near the secondary focus for that purpose.

We may arrange and mount one or more colf r screens or other members, as above refel-red to. in suchwise that same or anv one or more of same can be readily lmoved into or out of operative position by any suitable mechanism or means as and when desired.

As showing a specific embodiment of the invention, reference is made to the drawings forming a part of this specification and'in which i Figure 1 represents a section through an appliance having four rows of lamps. Fig. l, Fig.` lb and Fig l represent different members which may be utilized to act upon light. Fig. 2 represents a plan View of the appliance shown in Fig. 1.

In said drawings there is illustrated an arrangement suitable for useas footlights for theater stages.

A frame A1 is hinged at B to a base and is arranged along the front of the stage. The frame A1 carries a series or bank of reflectors B1. C1, D1 and E1, which run longitudinally the length of the saidlframe: each said reflector is elliptical in cross section and of its two focal axes one is situated at B, Ct, D". E". respectivelv.

'B2 is a semi-cylindrical reflector with its axis coincident with the focal axis B4; the lamps B3 C etc., are arranged likewise in bank with their filaments along the said axes. B5 and D represent the other foci of the reflectors B1 and D1 respectively and;

B0; Bl, D D", therespective limiting rays redected therefrom. l

F8 is a movable arm hinged at F2 and carrying a colored screen, dedector or reflector F of glass or any 'other suitable material.

llin Fi l, Fx indicates in cross section a longitudinally extending member which may be utilized to disperse light, While in Fig. lb, F2 indicates a'prism Which may be utilized tovrefract'light, and in Fig. le, Ft indicates a redector which may be utilized to reflect the light.I rlhese members F1, F2 and F3 can be substituted in place of the member F shown in Fig. l, but it is manifest that these members F1, F2 and F3 can be carried on another arm and utilized in combination with the screen F if desired. These members F, F1, F2 and F3 all operate to affect or act upon the light. Therefore theycan be utilized to good advantage, according to the result desired, at or along the focus of the ellipse through which the reflected light passes.

lt will be seen that when the arm F3 occupies the position indicated by the continnous lines the colored glass F etc., occupies a position in the neighborhood of the focus D5 so that all of the rays of light redected by the reflector D1 Will pass therethrough; Whereas When the arm F3 is in the position indicated by the discontinuous lines the colored glass F, etc., is entirely removed from the paths of all rays coming from the redectors.

A and it are suitableposterior and anterior shields.

What We claim is:

l. Appliances for lighting the stages of theaters and the like in which there are comprised in combination tvvo or more lines of lamps, lamp holders and reflectors, the re flectors being elliptical in cross section, the lamps each being arranged along one of the focal axes of vits reflector and said lamps and reflectors being arranged so that the highest part of each line of lamps, lamp holders and reflectors is ust below the plane through vthe two focal axes of the elliptical reflectors of the line next above and behind.

2. An electric lighting appliance for light ing the stages of theaters and the like, comprising one or more lines of lamps, lamp holders and reflectors, each reflector being of elliptical shape in cross section and also having a ysemi-cylindrical portion Which contains the lamp, the filament of which lies along or approximately along the axis of the semi-cylinder and one of the focal axes of theelliptical reflector, which axes are coincident;0

3. in appliance for lighting the stages of theaters and the like in ,Which one or more lines of lamps, lamp holders and reflectors are employed in Whicheach reector is ellippioneer tical in cross'section with its lam arranged along one of its focal axes an 1n Wh1ch atleast a part of said lines of lamps, lamp holders and reflectors is provided Wit-h means arranged and devised so as to be capable of being readily moved so as to occupy va position at or near the other focal axis of the elliptical reflectors whereby said means can ed'ectl or act upon the rays reflected from said reflectors.

Il. Appliances forlighting comprising in combination parallel lamps and' a longitu dinally extending reflector for eachlamp, the reflectors being elliptical in cross section and the lamps leach being located substantially along one of the focal axes of its reflector, the reflector and lamp being arranged so that a line passing ,through the focal axes of'one of the reflectors will pass by the succeeding lampy and'reflector therefor at the side remote from the elliptical reflecting surface of the latter.

5. A lighting appliance comprising a bank of longitudinally extending reflectors, each of which comprises in its cross section a substantially elliptical reflecting portion and a reflecting portion which is a part of a circle, the lighting .appliance alsobeing provided with sources of light supply which are located at the foci of the elliptical reflectors.

6. Al lighting appliance comprising a bank o-f longitudinally extending reflectors, each of which comprises a reflecting portion of elliptical formation in cross section and along one edge of the elliptical portion a portion which is in cross section a part of a circle, the center of said circular portion being coincident with one of the foci of the ellipse, said lighting appliance also comprising a. source of longitudinally extending lights, which lights are located along the coincident foci.

7 A lighting appliance comprising a bank of longitudinally extending sources of light and longitudinally extending 'reflectors therefor, each reflector comprising a reflecting portion of elliptical formation in cross section and 4along an edge of the elliptical portion a portion which is in cross section a part of a circle, the source of light being are ranged along the focal axis of the elliptical portion which is nearest to the portion of .the reflector which is in cross section a part of a circle, the reflectors being so arranged that a line passing through the focal axes of any one of the elliptical portions will pass outside of the adjacent member which is provided with the reflecting portion that is curved in cross section and which reflecting portion is arranged so as to direct light rays inwardly against the elliptical portion with which it is cooperatively related. f

8. ln an illuminating appliance a bank of longitudinally extending sources of light,

each. source of light being provided with iis lwhich is elliptical in cross section and from which last mentioned portion light-rays are reflected through the secondary focal axis of the ellipse,V the light source being arranged substantially at the primary focus of the ellipse.

9. In an illuminating appliance a bank of longitudinally extending sources of light,

. each source of light being provided with longitudinally ext/ending reflecting portions, one portion of which is arranged to direct a part of the light rays inwardly against a portion which is elliptical in cross section and from which last mentioned portion light rays are reflected outwardly through the secondary focal axis of the ellipse, the light source being arranged substantially at the primary focus of the ellipse, the elliptical portion being arranged so that the line through the focal axis of one ellipse will pass outside of the succeeding means for reiiecting light inwardlyagainst the succeeding elliptical portion.

, 10. In an illuminating appliance `the combination of a straight source of light arranged substantially along one of the focal 1 30 axes of a reflecting surface which is elliptical in cross section and longitudinally extending member arranged adjacent to the vother Afocal axis of the ellipse for acting upon the light rays which are concentrated 85' at and pass through the last mentioned focal 11. In an illuminating appliance the combination of a straight source of light arranged substantially along one of the focal axes of a reflecting surface which is ellipti-- cal in cross section and a longitudinally ex!r tending member arranged adjacent to the other focal axis of the ellipse for acting upon the light rays which are concentrated at the last mentioned focal axis, said longitudinally extending member being mounted so as to be moved 1n or away from the path of the concentrated light rays as and .when desired. l

12. In an illuminating appliance, the combination of a Straight source of light arranged substantially along one of the focal axes of a reflecting surface which is elliptical in cross section and a longitudinally extending member arranged adjacent to the other focal axis of .the ellipse for actin' upon the light rays w-hich are concentrate at the last mentioned focal axis, said longitudinally extending member being mounted so as to be moved by a transverse movement in or away from the path of the concentrated light rays as and when desired.

This specification signed and witnessed this 18th day of February, A. D. 1913, in the city of London, in England.

ALFRED WILLIAM BEUTTELL. JOHN ALEXANDER MNNERS-SMITH.

Signed in the presence of- O. J. WORTH, O. I. LIDnoN. 

